wildebeest crossing

Visa and kwacha in hand, I begin my journey.

I finally left Dar and all the other PCVs going RPCVs. After a night out for JB's birthday. Let's just say I'm getting too old for that, especially when I already bought a 6:30am bus ticket...

I slept it off on the bus and woke up once going through Mikumi when we hit a wildebeest. Actually, someone who saw it before we hit it said its a wildebeest, but now I feel like it looked like an impala. Anyway. There was a noise, I woke up, and it was like he saw the bus and was startled, but instead of running into the bush he inexplicably ran in front of the bus and got clipped in the hip. We were going slower for the trip through the park, but still. Everyone said it wasn't hurt, but I can't see how it couldn't be. Just because its still running doesn't mean its fine. That just means it doesn't want to stick around and get hit again.

Later on we got stopped by the police wanting a bribe and the driver had a FIT. I don't know if he had payed them off already or was just sick of it, but there was a scene. Half the passengers got out to become part of the scene on the side of the road and a good number of them were reading off the police id #s on their uniforms and texting them to the corruption hotline. Way to go! You don't have to take that!

Without further incidents, made it to Mbeya, barely found anywhere still open and serving dinner. I'm back on the bus this evening to get myself to Lusaka. It took some finagling as the bus that comes through today isn't scheduled to stop in Mbeya, but I talked the ticket guy into arranging for me to get on when they stop here for gas. Knowing Swahili saves the day yet again! I don't want to have to go to the border and change buses. Thanks David, for the advice on breaking the trip up in Mbeya! I'm much more alive now than I was last night. Time for another bus ride! Woo!